TOPWL 200

As dusk fell, lights lit up one after another in the training ground. . Yudit and Lucius stood on the floor of the training ground, facing each other.

Lucius, looking at Yudit who was a head shorter than him, suddenly scratched his head as if he was wondering what he was doing. His head had cooled a little on the way to the training ground. But the matter had already gone this far, and since there were quite a few spectators, it was too late to cancel now.

“Have you ever learned the sword?”

“I have. From my guard.”

At that, Lucius’s expression grew darker. It seemed shameful to fight with a prince who even carried a guard around. Lucius glanced at Yudit’s small face and raised three fingers.

“I will grant you three bouts. You may come at me first.”

“No need to hold back.”

“No, it looks like you need it.”

Yudit did not react to the polite but rude words.

“Then, I will accept without hesitation.”

Yudit let out a long breath and brought his hand to the hilt of his sword.

At least the posture looks proper.

Lucius inwardly mocked Yudit, but Yudit charged at him.

“…?!”

Lucius, startled by Yudit’s sword rushing in as if it would slice his neck, rolled aside. Yudit’s sword cut through the air with a whoosh.

If he had not dodged, he would surely have died.

In that short moment, cold sweat poured down like rain. Yudit’s sword came down at him again. Lucius, crawling pitifully on the ground to escape, barely managed to draw his sword. Yudit charged at Lucius who had sunk to the ground. His sword, swung diagonally upward with force, sent Lucius’s sword flying away at once. The sword traced an arc and flew in front of the spectators. Like fish scattering from a predator, people flinched and hurriedly pulled back.

Before he knew it, Yudit was pointing his sword at Lucius’s throat. Lucius, disheveled, looked back and forth between his sword and Yudit, then squeezed his eyes shut.

“…I lost.”

At those words, Yudit sheathed his sword with an indifferent shing. A stir broke out among the spectators.

‘What, the prince won?’

‘Wasn’t it just because that guy stupidly didn’t draw his sword?’

‘It seems like it, but he was incredibly fast. I almost couldn’t see him.’

The people whispered about Yudit’s skill. But Lucius, who had gone through the hardships of war, knew. Even if he had drawn his sword from the start, he still would have lost. Moreover, Yudit could have defeated him in just one exchange. He had deliberately given Lucius the time to draw his sword, only to knock it away and achieve a perfect victory. He felt like a fool for saying he would grant three bouts to someone like this.

Yudit looked at Lucius with a cold gaze and spoke.

“Then I should dispose of you for the crime of insulting the imperial family.”

“……”

The crime of insulting the imperial family allowed for immediate execution. Lucius lowered his head.

So this is how I die.

Suddenly, words from decades ago that his mother had told him came to mind.

“Lucius. If you just watch your mouth, you could live longer. So always be careful with your mouth.”

He should have taken her words to heart. Back then he let them pass through one ear, but now they pierced his bones. Not even dying a glorious death on the battlefield, but execution for insulting the imperial family. He would not even receive his pension. Lucius bit his lip.

“Do you want to live?”

Yudit asked without lowering his sword. Lucius glanced up at him. Nothing could be read from Yudit’s expression. Perhaps that was why his attacks were unpredictable. Lucius bit his lip and nodded.

“…No.”

In truth, he desperately wanted to say he wished to live, but it did not seem like Yudit would listen. So instead of begging for his life, Lucius chose to say something else.

“I will gladly accept the punishment for insulting the imperial family. But I am not the only one who cursed Your Highness. Please dispose of all those other scoundrels as well.”

This was the method Lucius chose. The dragging-under strategy. If they had cursed together, why should he die alone? Of course, it was his fault for running his mouth, but with death before his eyes, Lucius decided to act selfishly.

“I can name five men right now, and if you give me more time, I can name up to twenty!”

At Lucius’s shameless behavior, boos mixed into the crowd. Even so, Lucius did not so much as blink. He was going to die anyway, what did such jeers matter. Yudit stared fixedly at him and spoke.

“You are… how should I say it. Truly despicable.”

At the gaze that treated him as though looking at some strange creature, Lucius pressed his lips shut. Having grown up like a hothouse flower among knights who upheld chivalry, Yudit must have never seen someone like him.

“There is no need to say names.”

Yudit once again slowly drew his sword from the sheath. This was truly death. He wanted to run immediately, but even if he did, he would not live. Lucius gave up on fleeing.

“……”

Lucius shut his eyes and waited for the pain to come. At least Yudit’s swordsmanship did not seem bad, so it would not hurt for long.

“……”

Yudit raised his sword. Then he swung it toward Lucius’s neck.

Rustle.

His roughly grown hair was cut and fell, tickling his neck. But there was no pain. Lucius slowly opened his eyes. Yudit wore a smile too subtle to call by any name.

“From now on, your life belongs to me. Serve as my guard, protect me, and devote your life to me.”

Lucius wore a dazed expression. He could not believe what was happening.

“Me… as Your Highness’s guard?”

“If you do not like it, you can simply die here.”

“No! I like it. I truly like it!”

Lucius spoke in a rush.

“Good, then.”

Unable to believe the fortune he had grasped, Lucius blinked. Suddenly, it seemed as if a halo shone behind the prince. Now that he saw, there was no one as handsome as him either. Lucius looked at Yudit with eyes that were nearly worshipful.

“Then shall I give you your first mission.”

“Yes, give me anything. I will surely accomplish it!”

Yudit smiled faintly, as though pleased with Lucius’s zeal. Even that sight was dazzling.

“Then, for now, keep sparring with me a little longer.”

***

“Are you all right?”

Noban asked in a worried voice. Yudit, tapping his shoulder as if it hurt, gave an awkward smile.

“Mm, I’m fine.”

“You pushed yourself too much. You already worked hard all day.”

“I got carried away while doing it. I’m sorry for putting my subordinate through that.”

“That is of no concern.”

The worry in Noban’s eyes quickly turned cold. If one was incompetent and rude, at least one should not be cowardly. But Lucius was all three. Even if he had died, Novan would have had nothing to say. Rather, he might have thought it fortunate that it ended with just one life.

“May I ask you one thing?”

“Ask as many as you like.”

“Why did you take him as a guard?”

“…Mm.”

At Noban’s question, Yudit gave a troubled smile.

“If I sent him back… I thought he would be killed quietly, without a trace.”

There were not a few who had been impressed by the despicable sight of him naming others before dying. If kept as a guard, at least no one would be able to kill him outright. Noban looked at Yudit as if exasperated.

“You are far too kind.”

“Even after he hit your soldier like that?”

At Yudit’s teasing words, Noban let out a low sigh. After making Lucius his guard, Yudit began, under the name of sparring, to beat him with the sheathed sword. Lucius, who had held out for about thirty minutes, later spent all his time fleeing and begging.

Yudit’s strength itself was not great, but he was fast, and above all, his endurance was strong, so he did not tire. The spectators, who had been amused, one by one began to pity Lucius after watching him get beaten for a whole hour. But no one gave him a path to escape.

In the end, Lucius took a direct blow to the head from Yudit and fainted. According to the physician who examined him, two of his ribs had broken. Yet Yudit still sent word that he wanted to spar again at the training ground at dawn the next day. Only the physician beside him knew how much despair Lucius felt upon hearing those words.